MEDICAL FACILITY DOWNTOWN'S FIRST NEW CONSTRUCTION

When officials from Doctors Hospital and the city gathered for groundbreaking ceremonies last month, it marked the first new construction downtown in eight years.

"It's not a huge building by any means, but it's definitely a quality project that's well designed and in a good location," said George "Skip" Grkovic, president of Downtown Hollywood Center Inc., the agency overseeing downtown redevelopment.

The building is an 18,000 square-foot medical facility that will house doctors' offices, the administrative offices of Doctors Hospital, a radiological center and a diagnostic center.

The four-story building will be at the southern gateway into downtown at Federal Highway and Van Buren Street, near Doctors Hospital. About 40 doctors on staff at the hospital are financing the $2 million facility.

Gerry Brent, marketing director of the hospital, said the project should be completed by January.

"It will provide more medical services to people living near downtown," Grkovic said. "It will be nice to have emergency room services available in downtown."